Utility Company Payment Plans, Modernizing Paid Sick Days Statutes, Tough Testimony

March 20, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

We are almost halfway through this short session. What does that mean? Public hearings are coming to an end. Committee meetings will soon wrap up voting their legislation out of committee to potentially end up on the floor of the House or the Senate. And, we will be in session more frequently (though, never frequently enough for me. More bills!).

Spring has officially sprung this week, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it. I know I have been grateful to see a few crocuses here and there and daffodils making their way out of their cold slumber.

This week is Agriculture Week and today was Ag Day at the Capitol. A friendly reminder to you, that when you can, it’s great to shop at our local farms for produce, protein, soap, candles, and more.

I’ve shared a little testimony I gave before the Education Committee last week regarding adding the Greek genocide to the holocaust and genocide curriculum. I hope you’ll take a moment to listen.

Later in the week, I’ll be sharing some exciting news about other bills that are making their way out of committee and a powerful testimony from Representative Tammy Exum.

In the meantime, I hope you have a great week,

Eleni
 
UTILITY COMPANIES CAN HELP WITH UNPAID BALANCES 
Utility companies have started reaching out to residential customers with unpaid balances to sign up for payment plans to avoid interruption in their current services.

Those with financial hardships or medical issues due to a serious illness have not been eligible for termination due to nonpayment since March 2020, which stems from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a longstanding

statutory moratorium that annually safeguards Connecticut residents from winter shut-offs from November 1 to May 1.   

If you get one of these notices, my office can work with you to help contact utility companies directly to set up a payment plan to avoid service disruption. These plans charge no interest, and all customers qualify at least once for one or more of the plans. Please see the graphics below for contact information for the utility companies and the available payment plan options for eligible customers.
After connecting with utility companies, customers may additionally contact PURA’s customer affairs unit for specific questions regarding payment arrangements. As a reminder, utility companies will never call threatening to shut off power and demanding immediate payment. 

Please reach out if you have any questions, comments, or feedback.  
 
SB12 MODERNIZES THE PAID SICK DAYS STATUTES
WTNH

I am in full support of Governor Ned Lamont's proposal to expand and strengthen the state’s paid sick days statutes. The legislation is known as SB12, An Act Modernizing the Paid Sick Days Statutes, and it is headed for a public hearing. Like the Governor, I hope this legislation gets passed in the 2024 session. To read more of the Governor's proposal, please click HERE.
 
TOUGH TESTIMONY ON HB5416
Last week, I testified in front of the Education Committee on HB 5416 AAC VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION STATUTES, specifically on lines, 11-13, “The Holocaust and genocide education and awareness portion of the social studies curriculum shall include, but not be limited to, the Greek genocide.”
 
As a Greek-American, whose family fled genocide from the Ottoman Empire, I was proud to bring this change forward in a bipartisan manner with Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria.

Several years ago, holocaust and education were added to our statutes including the Jewish holocaust and eventually the genocides in Armenia, Darfur, and Rwanda. This class is usually (and optionally) taught at the 10th-grade level. As the Greek genocide was the precursor to the Armenian genocide, we feel strongly this should be included in the curriculum.
 
We must confront difficult periods in both American and world history if we are to prevent humanity from making mistakes of the past. History doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, but it does tend to rhyme, sadly.
State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw Education Committee Public Hearing March 11, 2024
 
NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK
It’s National Agriculture Week! Today is one of the best days of the year at the Capitol. Farmers from around the state set up displays to remind us that without farmers, we would have no food and to show us all the different food and other ag-related products they provide us. Our farmers had a particularly bad year last year and that’s why we have multiple bills that seek to assist our farmers so that our farmers can focus on their critical work.
 
WEBINAR: HAS YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCED ANTISEMITISM IN SCHOOL?
Please click on the image below to register for the March 28th Webinar entitled "Has Your Child Experienced Antisemitism in School?"
 
REMINDER: EARLY VOTING BEGINS NEXT WEEK
For more details, including polling locations, please click on the image below.
 
THANK YOU SO MUCH PINE GROVE SCHOOL
As you may recall, a few weeks ago, I read to all of the fourth-grade classes at Pine Grove School in Avon. I was truly overwhelmed at the dozens and dozens of thank you notes they took the time to send.
One of the teachers shared a story that later in the day, one of the classes was engaging in a history lesson discussing how things used to cost less because a dollar was so much more. And one of the students said, “Was that before inflation?” and then said they learned it from our conversation earlier in the day. I love it when learning comes together like that!
 
ONE OF CONNECTICUT'S OWN
 
SPRING IS HERE
Spring arrived just after 11 p.m. last night! Please click on the image below to find things to do in Connecticut during the season.

Sincerely,

Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative
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